Pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, who ushered in “Fernandoamania” when he broke into Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981, has passed away at age 63. The Dodgers and MLB’s commissioner, Rob Manfred Jr., confirmed his death in statements. The announcements did not cite a cause of death.
Due to his health, Fernando stepped away from his duties as a Dodgers broadcaster this month. However, Fernando’s legend as a Dodger will continue as long as baseball is played.
“Fernandomania”
Valenzuela took the baseball world by storm in his rookie season in Los Angeles. He started the year 8-0, including seven complete games and five shutouts. He posted a 0.50 Era during this streak. He finished his first season with a 13-7 record while sporting a 2.48 ERA.
Legendary Dodger announcer Vin Scully said this about the fervor during the streak. “It is the most puzzling, wonderful, rewarding thing I think we’ve seen in baseball in many, many years. And somehow this youngster from Mexico, with the pixie smile on his face, acts like he’s pitching batting practice.”
His success continued into the postseason, where he went 3-1 as he helped the Dodgers take the series from the New York Yankees 4 games to 2. At the end of the season, he was chosen as the winner of both the National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards. He is the only player who has accomplished this in one season.
His high leg kick with his eyes to the stars during his windup dazzled fans and confused opponents. His vast array of pitches, including his screwball and his unorthodox pitching style, twisted big lead hitters into knots. During his warmups, the song “Fernando” by ABBA would boom from the speakers at Dodger Stadium.
Influence on Fans
“Fernandomania” had an immediate effect on the MLB fanbase. He filled stadiums around the league, MLB merchandise sales skyrocketed, and TV ratings went through the roof. Valenzuela even was invited as a guest at the White White House by President Ronald Reagan to honor President Jose Lopez Portillo of Mexico.
However, the biggest impact Valenzuela had was on the Latino community in California. Born and raised in Etchohuaquila, a small farming village in the state of Sonora, Mexico, and discovered playing in the Mexican League, his humble beginnings and dynamic persona made him the hero that the Latino community so desperately was searching for. The Los Angeles Mexican community started attending Dodgers games in droves, changing the demographics of the team’s fanbase.
His presence helped calm some of the tensions that existed between the Latino community and the Dodgers, caused by the dislocation of Latino families to make way for the construction of Dodger Stadium.
While “Fernandomania” did not calm all of the tensions, teammate Dusty Baker summed up Valenzuela’s influence the best.“Every Latin American country was represented when he pitched. Not only Mexico, I’m talking El Salvador, Nicaragua. There’d be flags.”
Major League Career
Valenzuela was a six-time All-Star and led the league in wins with 21 in 1986 and complete games in 1985 and 1986. On June 19, 1990, Fernando threw a no-hitter against against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium. Coupled with Oakland’s Dave Sterwart’s no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays, this would constitute the only time in MLB history that two no-hitters were thrown on the same day.
Valenzuela would go on to pitch 11 big league seasons with the Dodgers, California Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, and the Cardinals. His career marks were a 173-153, a won/lost record, and a 3.54 ERA. In breaking with tradition in 2023, Valenzuela became the only non-Hall of Famer whose number was retired by the Dodgers.
Fernando Valenzuela’s Post Playing Days
For 20 years, Valenzuela was a Spanish-language broadcaster for the Dodgers. He also was a four-time coach for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. And he was part-owner of the Mexican league team Tigres de Quintana Roo, with son Fenando Jr. serving as the team’s president and son Ricky serving as the team’s general manager.
Former teammate Rick Monday summed up Valenzuela’s life nicely when he said. “Fernando meant so much to us, not just those of us privileged enough to call him a teammate and also a friend, he meant so much to the Dodgers organization. He meant so much to this entire community and Southern California for that matter.”
Fernando Valenzuela is survived by his wife, Linda, children Fernando, Ricky, Linda, and Maria, seven grandchildren, and extended family.
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